im guessing the MA series is like a step between the MG and the higher end products. has anyone seen them yet or played one? im thinking about the 212 combo.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=583689

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Guitars: American Standard Strat, American Vintage 52 Tele, Gretsch Power Jet

Amps: Frontman 212R, Hot Rod DeVille 212 w/ Vintage 30's, AC30 w/ Greenbacks

Pedals: Boss Tuner, XOTiC AC-Booster, MXR Phase 90, Line 6 DL4

I heard an MA stack in a music store a while ago and was amazed by the sound, it sounded like my JCM 800 1/2 stack.I think that the MA series have the same schematics as the English Marshalls the difference being that they are made in Vietnam where the labour is much cheaper hence the dramatic price difference.I don't know if the speakers are Celestions but they sound convincingly like them at least at music store volume(which was pretty loud in the meantime).I don't know where they source their components such as caps,resistors and tubes but as previously stated the sound is unmistakeably Marshall.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I've seen a few online demo's of the MA's. Now I'll be the first to tell you not to pay any heed to online demos of someone else playing their guitar and heavens knows what effects. Into some mic' and doing something with recording software. Then listening to that through your computer speakers.
See where I'm going with that? Theres too many variables with online demo's for them to have any validity.

However I watched a few MA vids and it's enough to pique my curiosity. If it wasn't for them damn bluesbreakers and class5's that I like the look of so much.

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Heard it A/B against a JVM a week or so ago…my over all impression was it sounded quite good… It was not as crisp as the other Marshalls and lacked some of the Marshall Mid range but for my tastes I like that I been on a kick of late with more lows and scoop out the mids….Don’t get me wrong it was not that much off; had it not been a A/B comparison I don’t think I would have even noticed much difference… the cab was lighter than the 1960 on under the JVM.. don’t know if it was particle board or what? It felt on par with my MG cab in weight.. ……BOTTOM LINE…sounded all Marshall for the most part to me…

Cheers
Bill

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

I've read some terrible reviews of the Class 5 on harmony central. I was really disappointed because sometime in the future (about three years realistically) I'd like to have a smallish Marshall tube amp just so that I have that tone as option for small clubs and recording gigs. Do you have one or have you played through one? What are your thoughts about it?

The MA series looks really good to me, they remind me of a Marshall version of the Fender VM series. And they promise real Marshall tone at a price that I could actually reach. I'm going to have to demo one next time I see one in a music store somewhere. If they're better built than the Class 5's than a Marshall MA might be my best choice when the time comes.

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i've heard about some reliability issues with the new vietnam amps from the tech ate our local store , he seems to get a lot of them in to repair , i don't know what they sound like , sorry

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Tex.

I think you will be A'ok with a class5. No I haven't tried one. However Ceri has one and loves his. I live far too out in the middle of nowhere to try one without a good travel.

Onto the reviews. Marshall have had a problem with them rattling and vibrating. It doesn't happen to all of them and their on the case to rectify it. So when you say you'll be looking for one in a few years it will likely be well sorted out.
I wouldn't trust harmony central reviews. There are knowledgable people on that site. Their hard to spot for all teenage boys namecalling each other.
(Just my view, haven't bothered looking at it in years).

Now I had a similar conversation with forum user Orcrist. He's after a small 5 watt amp. Well I found him this beauty.
http://www.vhtamp.com/avsp16.html

The VHT special 6. If you dont know about VHT they were a very high end amp builder in the 90's. They got bought out and have started making some more players purse friendly amps. The price on them things is very right, the combo is $200 and the head is $180.
http://www.fretbase.com/blog/2010/03/vht-special-6-affordable-hand-wired-amps-2/
Oh yeah their hand wired too. Infact the circuitboard is so simple a dullard like me can understand it. With the 6V6 based output section they will likely give you a very usable blues tone. Nothing sounds better than a good plummy 6V6.

Myself, I'm happy at home with my VibrochampXD. It does everything I want for a home amp.


On a side note. The Marshall JMD1 has just been released. Looks to be a everyman's everything to me.

[url]http://www.nevadamusic.co.uk/Guitar_Amplifiers_and_Speakers/Guitar_Amps,_Combos_and_Cabinets/Guitar_Amplifier_Heads/sc1586/p8672.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=GoogleShopping&utm_campaign=googlebase&utm_term={keyword}[/url]

When it comes to Marshall for me it's just one channel and a volume control on 10. Anything else is just bells and whistles.

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Cool, thanks. I've heard of VHT amps, I just haven't actually heard one in real life yet. Next time I see one I'll be sure to check it out. And since I'm still a few years away I'm not really in a hurry to find anything right now.

One thing I've noticed with Harmony Central is that you'll find more of those "I'm 13 and I've been playing six months!" reviews on gear that's more metal/hard rock oriented and cheaper. But on the other hand there are lots of arrogant gear snobs reviewing things like boutique amps and pedals and they can be just as annoying. You have to act as your own filter when you're reading through the reviews.

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How very astute of you Tex, theres a wisdom to you that is not apparent in most your age.

I too dislike gear snobbery. It doesn't matter what you use, it's how you use it. Thats the be all and end all of musicianship. There are certain things from certain manufacturers I don't like. However that is personal preference and not a blanket dismissal of all they produce.

I honestly don't mind the 13yr old, 6months playing mutant zombie dress up like a corpse metal players. We all started somewhere, it's how and if you grow that's important. I still play loads of the stuff I learn't to play when I first started (Chuck Berry's C'mon was the first ever song). Albeit better (hopefully).

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Hi TGS: I'm never going to bother recommending amps to folks, because it always has to come down to what your own ears make of it when you try it out.

I'd be fascinated to hear what you think of a Class5 in a shop if you get the chance though. For the very little it's worth, I liked them a few months ago when I first demo'd them and the other day finally dragged one home. I haven't touched anything else for a week and half, and so far I haven't even been tempted to put a pedal in front of it - that's how much I'm enjoying its straight ahead valve/tube sound.

Spec-wise the Class5 should be above the MA - but I haven't met the latter yet, so I can't comment on that.

Nikininja's ears are at the very top of my respect list on this Forum, so I'm just itching to find out what he makes of the Class5 when he finally gets his hands on one. Whatever that gentleman concludes - that's the end of the story, far as we're all concerned!

Cheers - C

Thanks for all the replies!! i love this forum, i will be off to guitar center later this week, i think. none of my local shops have marshall gear, unless its used.

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Guitars: American Standard Strat, American Vintage 52 Tele, Gretsch Power Jet

Amps: Frontman 212R, Hot Rod DeVille 212 w/ Vintage 30's, AC30 w/ Greenbacks

Pedals: Boss Tuner, XOTiC AC-Booster, MXR Phase 90, Line 6 DL4

If you can get 80s-mid 90's Marshall's their as reliable as buying new. Never ever heard of a duffer from that period.
I wouldn't be scared of buying a used one. The reason their seen on every stage and used by everybody it that their bombproof.

My 84 JCM has had one complete valve change(last week, JJ's Supro will no doubt be pleased to hear) one other some twelve years ago when I bought it. The original valves were still in it. It also had a new volume pot 3 years ago. Thats all it's ever needed. Not bad for a combo thats done in excess of 500 gigs.

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Exactly. I wish more people had that attitude when they write their reviews.


What bothers me isn't what they're playing (I started out as a 13 year old punk rocker), it's just when they review a Danelectro FAB distortion pedal like it's the best thing since sliced bread... But hey, I started out with those FAB pedals too.

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Hey I like the FAB distortion. Kind of a mix between distortion and overdrive. When I first got it I thought it was utter junk. Now though I like it, particularly as a lead boost to a already driven sound. It's sort of squarewave with the corners rounded off sounding. Very good at definition and keeping clarity when you get to silly gain levels.

What I mean is that dealing with such people is often easier with tact and temperance courtesy of hindsight. Things you apparently have in abundance. Atleast such types aren't usually under the illusion that anything sub $XXXXX is worthless. Anyways I think were generalizing too much. It's atleast nice to know were all more alike than different. I defy anyone to tell me they weren't absolutely besotted with the most horrible gear when they first started out. I can't blame anyone for defending what they like. A Encore copy made me into a strataholic.

http://www.imuso.co.uk/Electric-Guitars/6054-/Encore-KC3-Strat-Style-Electric-Guitar-Thru-Red?utm_source=googleproduct


They currently cost around £55 or $81. The best thing is, I'd been playing 9 years when I got given the Encore. I was playing high end Dean's and Charvels before then. (Way before Dean knew about Asia). It's all down to how, whatever piece of gear, inspires you to play. That Encore made me absolutely crazy about the singlecoil strat sound.

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I used to have a Squier practice amp that I literally had to hit to make it work. It was buzzy and horrible. Whoever had it before me didn't take care of it. I wish I could find those old FAB pedals. I have a feeling they'd sound decent through my Fender amp.

I got my Squier Strat for about $100 and I really think it's my favorite guitar. It feels incredible and it actually sounded all right before I put the Texas Specials in. I've had people tell me all kinds of crap about it. But hey, it's their loss not mine.

Anyway, I don't mean to hijack the thread. Back on topic...

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